


Duke Crocker is Not Easy to Take Care Of

by serendipityxxi



Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: Bathtub, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-20
Updated: 2016-07-20
Packaged: 2018-07-25 16:26:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7539691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serendipityxxi/pseuds/serendipityxxi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Lousy weather out there,” she commented eyes darting all over his face in concern.</p><p>Duke shrugged and took a sip from her glass of wine. Things with him had settled some in Haven but the group he’d worked with today had been new and he knew Nathan and Audrey were worried how things would go. There were a lot of things he’d tell no one but Audrey Parker: whining that the other kids were being mean was not one of those things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Duke Crocker is Not Easy to Take Care Of

Summer was slowly leeching out of Maine in the form of thunderstorms and grey skies that opened up and drenched a body in the fifteen seconds it took to sprint to the cover of his car. Duke’s shoes were squelching as he slammed the door. He shivered violently, spattering water all around the front seat. He had to close his eyes and take several long deep breaths before he was calm enough to drive.

His whole body was one low grade ache and that had felt pretty good not even thirty minutes ago but now it was just leaning towards exhaustion. Duke had spent the day hauling bricks and hammering boards helping to rebuild the town library. Eight months after the Troubles had ended and the town was still in recovery mode. The original library had had large holes eaten out of it by enormous bookworms. Sweet little old lady Pam Seligson, who had been the town librarian forever, had apparently gotten a Trouble when he exploded. It had manifested her worst fear…

She’d been there today, cracking orders in her quavery little old lady voice that still made Duke hop to. (He’d spent a lot of time in the Haven library as a kid - it was a dry, warm place that no one would make you leave if you weren’t actively making trouble.)

It had felt good fixing things. Duke was good with his hands and it was nice to be able to put them to use in rebuilding. He’d even gotten more friendly back slaps than snide comments while he’d worked today, right up until the end. After that confrontation with George McClaine he wasn’t sure he’d be allowed back on the project and that stung. He’d more than proven his worth to this town. He’d hurt, and bled, and died for them and that still wasn’t fucking enough.

McClaine hadn’t even been an asshole about anything with the Troubles. He’d laid into Duke about gambling on the Rouge and how he hoped it didn’t start up again now that Duke was floating her because that encouraged a bad element in town. Duke had been so astounded that this asshole could find something so petty to grouse about, nevermind that ship had been Duke’s _home_ for over ten years, that he’d nearly lost his temper. As it was he had barely restrained himself from punching McClaine in the face. The only reason McClaine hadn’t hit him was because Mrs. Seligson had caught wind of the argument and had come out to yell at them. Duke had lived more than thirty years of his life without ever hearing the librarian’s voice raised over a low speaking tone. He hadn’t needed to hear her yelling. He’d gotten hold of himself, apologized to her and fled the scene into the pouring rain.

Duke took the long way home and let the swish of the tires on wet asphalt soothe him. He took deep conscious breaths and let each out slowly. He parked and watched the raindrops race each other down the windshield until he felt calm enough to go inside.

Just closing the door and turning the lock made Duke’s stress levels drop. His shoulders sagged with the weight off.

Duke shucked his wet boots and socks by the front door and turned his aching feet toward the stairs. The house was quiet but Audrey’s shoes were in the middle of the hallway, directly in his path, so Duke figured she must be home too. He picked them up and set them neatly in the shoe rack by the door where they were meant to go. His back twinged as he leaned over and Duke grimaced. He was definitely in need of a hot shower, an aspirin or two and a lot of whiskey to help him forget today.

As he hit the top step he caught the sound of music coming from down the hall.

Curious, Duke followed the faint piano notes to the bathroom. The door was cracked open just a little. Through the gap he could see Audrey in the tub surrounded by candles. The lemon vanilla scent of her bubble bath wafted out to tease at his senses. Audrey had her hair pinned up to keep it dry, a half full glass of wine sitting on the floor next to the tub and a cheesy vampire romance novel in her hands. Just looking at her made most of the tight feeling in Duke’s chest dissolve.

She sang along absently to the radio even as her eyes flicked across the page. Duke couldn’t stop the smile that spread itself across his cheeks. She was adorable. He’d probably lose his left arm if he told her that.

“In or out, Crocker, you’re letting in a draft,” she complained without looking up from her book.

Duke made a startled noise but pushed the bathroom door open further. He looked down and yes, there were wet footprints leading to the door and back to the tub. She’d meant for him to come in. He grinned, folding to his knees by the side of the tub.

“Need someone to wash your back?” he leered, waggling his eyebrows both because she expected it and because he appreciated the distraction.

Audrey laughed. “These are Duke Crocker’s infamous lines?” she teased.

Duke chuckled and shook his head, maybe he was a little off his game.

Audrey stuck her bookmark in her book and handed it to him. He glanced at the cover and made a pained noise then set it on the counter obligingly. He turned back to her with his eyebrows raised.

“Lousy weather out there,” she commented eyes darting all over his face in concern.

Duke shrugged and took a sip from her glass of wine. Things with him had settled some in Haven but the group he’d worked with today had been new and he knew Nathan and Audrey were worried how things would go. There were a lot of things he’d tell no one but Audrey Parker: whining that the other kids were being mean was not one of those things.

Audrey huffed a sigh and carded her fingers through his hair when it became apparent he wasn’t going to elaborate.

Duke leaned into the caress and let his eyes close to slits. Her nails scratched lightly across his scalp and then she tugged gently on the ends of his damp curls when she came to them. Duke all but purred at the sensations. More of the tension that had held his muscles taut seeped out with each stroke of her fingers.

Duke dunked his hand into the bubbles and wrapped it around her ankle, just wanting to hold onto her somehow. He could feel the fine bones move against his palm. Her skin was warm from the water and so soft. He fluttered his fingers against the inside of her ankle.

Audrey squinched her nose at him in displeasure.

Duke smiled again. “You’re really cute, y’know that?” Duke couldn’t help the words they just fell out.

Audrey splashed him. “Oh my god, Duke, these lines of yours are terrible!” she complained.

“Hey, I do alright for myself.” He leaned closer as if imparting a secret “I,” he held up one finger, “had a threesome last night,” he told her with an exaggerated wink and three wiggled fingers.

Audrey splashed him a larger slash.

“Hey! Isn’t this shirt wet enough?” he complained.

Audrey gave him a speculative up and down glance then dragged him forward by the collar of his shirt. “Not yet,” she breathed against his lips.

Okay that was a terrible line but Duke couldn’t deny the little thrill that sang through his belly at the promise in it.

He leaned into the kiss, keeping it soft and slow, easing into it like you’d ease into a warm bath. His bottom lip danced against hers til Audrey bit down on it, tugged lightly. Her wet fingers tunneled once more into his damp hair, curving around the back of his neck and before Duke knew it he was being pulled into the tub with a splash. He landed between Audrey’s knees, legs sticking comically over the side.

The awkward angle did nothing to stop Audrey’s kisses or her wandering hands. She peeled his cardigan off him and then helped him undo the button down shirt he’d been wearing under that.

She made a frustrated sounded when her fingers found a t shirt instead of skin underneath. “Why are you wearing all these layers?” she grumbled, flicking the last button free. “Duke Crocker, are you secretly a bag lady?” she demanded.

Duke huffed a laugh. “I get cold easy,” he defended, pulling the t shirt over his head one handed.

“That was hot,” Audrey informed him, eyes dark with appreciation.

Duke chuckled and almost wished he’d had a fourth layer so he could repeat the gesture for her. He didn’t wish it for long as her warm hands were already roaming his shoulders. Her nails scratched him lightly as she drew a line up his neck, then her fingertips were smoothing along his stomach muscles to undo the button and fly of his jeans. They were probably not the cleanest and Duke wished he’d had the sense to take them off before being dragged into the tub.

He stood to shuck them and Audrey made catcalling sounds as he did. He grinned and shimmied his hips for her before dropping the wet denim dramatically into the sink.

When he moved to get back into the tub Audrey stayed put. Duke’s eyebrows rose and Audrey raised one in turn, leaning further back against the ceramic. Duke shrugged and let her be the big spoon without further questioning.

He settled back against Audrey as gingerly as he could, his head on her shoulder, her breasts pressed soft and warm against his back, her strong thighs on either side of his hips.

She must have felt his hesitation though because she wrapped an arm around his collarbones and pulled him to rest more firmly against her.

“I’m not fragile you know,” she scolded.

Duke huffed but leaned a little more of his weight on her.

Audrey made a scoffing sound but her hands moved up to card through his hair again, down to stroke along his arms. Duke turned his head and kissed her, their wet cheeks sliding together, her cold little nose brushing along the side of his. The kisses trailed off until they were just resting in the water, the lemon sugar scent seeping into Duke’s lungs, Audrey’s heartbeat thudding gently against his back, the bubbles piled up around them like drifts of snow keeping the rest of the world out.

After a long while Audrey’s fingers trailed lazily down Duke’s side, along his flanks, lighting up small sparks of pleasure in Duke’s nerve endings. She wrapped her hand around the base of his shaft, he’d been half hard since she pulled him into the water and it didn’t take much to take him the rest of the way.

Her hand was warm and strong, slippery with bubbles and Duke whined low in his throat as she gave him a smooth pull all the way to the tip. He could feel the stretch of her cheek muscles as she smiled head tipped against the side of his head. She bit his earlobe and sent her other hand to play with his balls, cupping and rolling them. Duke gave a louder groan at the arousal coiling tighter in his belly now.

Audrey kissed the side of his head and began to move her hand in lazy strokes, playing with his foreskin, letting the tip pop out and smoothing it back, over and over again, pop, pop, pop. Duke would’ve chuckled but it felt so good, had sparks of pleasure dancing up his spine. But it was too slow, she was teasing and they both knew it.

“Audrey,” he whined.

She bit his earlobe again gently, and began to stroke him in earnest, long, firm pulls that had soon had Duke panting.

“Do you know what docking is?” Audrey began darkly next to his ear.

Duke gasped and shook his head.

“I was reading about it in the book you just made fun of. It’s where you stretch your foreskin-” Audrey made a point to pull his back just then, swiping her thumb over the sensitive, sensitive exposed head of his dick, “-over the head of another guy’s cock,” she smoothed his foreskin over his tip again. “It’s supposed to feel really good,” she murmured breath gusting over the shell of his ear and Duke shuddered at the image, at the thought of Nathan’s cockhead pressed so snugly, intimately against his own.

“It’s…” Duke had to suck in a deep breath, “it’s not a bad idea,” he said. Audrey smirked and rolled his balls again with her free hand.

They settled into a rhythm after that, and it wasn’t long before Duke was gasping out a warning, “Gonna…” he inhaled sharply at the pleasure coursing through him, “gonna come,” he gasped.

Audrey didn’t slow her strokes but fished around in the tub for something. A pale blue wash rag he saw after a moment. She bit his ear as he laughed and he came three strokes later with a shout into the soapy washcloth. He collapsed back against Audrey still shuddering, giving her his full weight because he could not hold it right that instant, his knees were jelly and he was pretty sure his spine had dissolved.

Audrey kissed the side of his head and ran her hand up and down his arm, gentling him down from his high.

The bathroom door swung open and Nathan stood in the doorway, mud spattered, hair damp.

“So this is what you get up to while I’m out there risking life and limb to keep Haven safe? Bubble baths and wine at three in the afternoon?” he demanded. There was no heat to the words, no real ire, his eyes twinkled with suppressed amusement. Nathan Wuornos was teasing them.

In return Duke gave Nathan the smuggest shit-eating grin he could muster and leaned even further into Audrey. “It’s not our fault you signed up to be the responsible one in this relationship, Nate,” he said, stroking a soapy hand over Audrey’s knee.

Nathan sputtered and Audrey laughed.

“He’s got a point, Wuornos, I’m the wildcard,” she said.

“And I’m the layabout,” Duke put in though Audrey poked him in the ribs.

“And you get to be the responsible adult,” Audrey pointed out.

Nathan looked torn between wanting to complain and the knowledge that they had a point. He settled for closing his mouth and glaring. He added folded arms to the glare trying to make it more imposing.

“As the responsible adult it’s my duty to tell you you’re starting to wrinkle,” Nathan said sternly, then he added with a sly smile, “‘though in Duke’s case I think those’re permanent.”

“Hey!” Duke exclaimed, patting at his face for Nathan’s benefit. “I don’t comment on your gray hairs, Wuornos.”

“Duke,” Audrey said significantly, “I think Nathan might want us to get out of the tub for a different reason.”

“Think he might be jealous he’s not in the tub? I mean we could probably squeeze you in, Nate,” Duke leered then winked.

Nathan huffed and rolled his eyes.

“No really,” Duke stood to make a grab at him and Nathan stepped back but Duke saw Nathan’s eyes follow the trail of the suds dripping down his body in distraction.

Duke smirked in satisfaction and spread his arms, waggling his eyebrows in a ‘see something you like?’ motion.

Nathan threw a towel at his head. “You’re dripping all over the floor,” was what he said but his eyes were warm and interested.

Duke peeled the towel off his face and quick as a whip lunged at Nathan, twirling the towel for a rat tail towel snap. Nathan turned and fled down the hall, Duke sliding after him in his wet feet, tracking bubbles over half the house. Audrey’s laughter followed them down the hall.

~*~*~*~*~

Later, much later, Duke pulled on a clean pair of Nathan’s boxers (“it’s your turn to do laundry Mr. Responsible Adult,” he shot back at Nathan’s protest) and left them to to get started on dinner.

Halfway down the stairs Duke reconsidered cooking shirtless and turned around to grab one. His bare feet padded soundlessly across the wooden floor. He hadn’t quite made it into the bedroom before he heard his lovers talking.

“Thanks for calling about him today,” Audrey said quietly. “He didn’t say a word about anything happening when he got home.”

Nathan made a noise of affirmation. “Dwight said he’d deal with George McClaine."

Duke resisted going back in there and demanding they-

Nathan gave a quiet chuckle before Duke could finish the thought. “Don’t know he’ll need to though.”

That’s right, Duke wanted to say, it wasn’t necessary. He could take care of himself.

Nathan continued, “Bill called after Duke left. Mrs. Seligson just about ripped George a new one. Kicked him off the rebuilding project herself.” Audrey laughed and even Duke had to smile.

“Should we tell Duke?” she asked.

“Nah. We do and he’ll know we’re looking out for him. ‘Sides he’ll find out on his own soon enough, collects gossip like a magpie,” Nathan said.

Duke rolled his eyes.

Audrey laughed.

They were silent for a long moment.

“He’s hard to take care of,” she sighed.

Nathan chuckled. “Pot, kettle, Parker.”

“What does that make you, Wuornos?” she teased, laughter in her voice.

Duke thought of the boots in the foyer, the sudden wisp of music, the bathroom door he knew Audrey had cracked herself and bit down on the urge to laugh.

She’d conned him into taking that bath with her, he realized.

Coaxed him upstairs and into relaxing when she knew he’d have shrugged off any attempts to coddle him. Hell he hadn’t even admitted to having a bad day. It was a very Nathan Wuornos thing to do and Duke was moderately ashamed of himself. The shame was outweighed by the warm pleasure coiling in his chest that came from knowing that Nathan and Audrey had his back. Duke didn’t blush often but he could feel it creeping across his cheeks as he stood there in the hall. They’d known he’d had a shitty day and had gone out of their way to make it better.

That meant something to him, that meant a lot.

Their voices in the bedroom were a soft murmur now, he couldn’t make out what they were saying anymore. Duke turned and padded down the stairs quietly, he’d go back for the shirt in a few minutes, he’d just check that he had enough eggs for a batch of cupcakes first.


End file.
